Flight trainer



March 16, 1954 I o. H. 'SCHMITT 2,671,970

FLIGHT TRAINER Filed Oct. 21, 1944 INVENTOR OZZOHSC/Emi it ATTORNEYSPatented Mar. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLIGHT TRAINERApplication October 21, 1944, Serial No. 559,784

, Claims. 1

This invention relates to training systems, and more particularly tosystems in which the motion of an aircraft in respect to an ocean orterrestrial area is reproduced at a reduced scale for training purposes.

With the advent of relatively complicated navigational and tacticalaircraft instruments, pilots have been required to undergo considerableinstrument training as a part of their flight training. In addition toactual flight training procedures, the use of various training deviceshas been found advantageous. Such training'devices permit intensifiedinstrument training without the cost or risk of training in actualaircraft. Most of these training devices include a model aircraft andsimulated controls by means of which the model may be maneuvered from atrainees station. The instruments in connection with which training isto be given are simulated,

and means are arranged to provide proper instrument indications inaccordance with the maneu vers of the model aircraft.

In systems of this type, it is usual to provide".

a scale model terrestrial or ocean area over which a model aircraftmoves, the location of the model area in respect to the trainees stationbeing such that the trainee may observe the motion of the model aircraftin respect thereto as desired. This 7 general arrangement is notentirely satis actory for training purposes, however, due to the factthat the trainee may see not only those portions of the maneuver areathat he could see from an actual aircraft under similar circumstances,but also the aircraft and its position in relation to the entiremaneuver area. It is desirable, therefore, to provide means whereby thetrainee is effectively placed in the model aircraft so far as his viewof the maneuver area is concerned.

Accordingly, there is provided in a training system a trainees station,an index representing a model aircraft, a model maneuver areatranslatable in respect to the index, simulated aircraft controls at thetrainees station for causing motion of the maneuver area in respect tothe index to simulate the motion of an area as seen from an aircraftflying thereabove, and an optical viewing system permitting the traineeto view the area from the location of the index, the direction of sightbeing determined by the heading of the aircraft introduced by thesimulated controls.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to theaccompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a schematic view ofa training system in accordance therewith.

Essentially the training system comprises a scale model aircraft andmaneuver area, a trainees station adjacent thereto, and means wherebythe trainee is in effect placed in the model aircraft. Referring to thedrawing, a model maneuver area I0 which may be a scale model ofterrestrial or ocean area is mounted for motion in a horizontal plane ona translation system, this system comprising a carriage l2 arranged formotion along parallel tracks I4 and a trolley 16 supporting the modelmaneuver area and arranged for translation across carriage l2 indirections normal to the direction of motion of that carriage. An indexl8 fixedly mounted above the translation system represents the positionof an aircraft in respect to the model maneuver area, it beingunderstood that moving the model maneuver area in. respect to the fixedmodel aircraft is equivalent to moving the model aircraft in respect toa stationary model of the maneuver area.

Control means indicated schematically at, 20 at the trainees positionare provided for causing relative motion of the model aircraft and themaneuver area. Conveniently, control means 20 may operate a controlsystem of the general type disclosed in copending application Serial No.543,592, filed July 5, 1944, Control System, Otto 'I-I. Schmitt, thissystem comprising means in combination with a bidirectional translationsystem whereby an object mounted on the translation system may be causedto describe any path "in the translation plane in response to operationof a single control member. Additional controls maybe added as desired,it being understood that the only requirements are that the modelmaneuver area move in respect to the index in such fashion that themotion of a maneuver area beneath an actual aircraft as seen from theaircraft is simulated.

A complement of simulated flight instruments is mounted on instrumentpanel 22 of the trainees station and the specialized instruments inconnection with which training is to be given are tion of sight beingdetermined by the heading of the aircraft in respect to the maneuverarea introduced by simulated controls 20. The optical viewing systemcomprises a panoramic periscope including lower mirror 24, upper mirror26, an erecting device 28, and suitable collimating telescopes 30 and 32whereby distortions introduced in the periscope are eliminated and areal image produced. Conveniently, the erecting device may be thewell-known Dove prism which, when rotated at half the angular velocityof the lower mirror of the periscope, maintains the image erect at alltimes.

Motor 34 is fixedly mounted and arranged to rotate the lower mirror ofthe panoramic periscope together with index It in accordance with theheading of the model aircraft in respect to the maneuver area. Suitablegearing also connects motor 34 to the Dove prism assembly and rotates itat the proper angular velocity and in the proper direction always tomaintain the desired erect image at the eye-piece of the optical system.Thus, it will be evident that the trainee using the optical system mayobserve the model maneuver area as though he were actually in the modelaircraft. Accordingly, his view is normally restricted to the fieldahead of the aircraft, objects in the maneuver area passing from hisfield of vision as the aircraft flies thereover.

Additional refinements may be added to the system to simulate banking ofan aircraft in turns and pitching thereof in dives or climbs. Thusbanking of the aircraft may be simulated by causing the erecting prismdrive to lag or lead the scanning drive of the lower mirror of theperiscope. This effectively causes the maneuver area as seen through theoptical system to tilt realistically. Pitching may be simulated byrotating the upper mirror through a small angle about a horizontal axisnormal to the optic axes of the two collimating telescopes shifting thescene slightly upwardly or downwardly as viewed through the telescope3B. In addition, auxiliary means may be provided whereby the trainee mayscan the model maneuver area While the heading of the model aircraft ismaintained constant.

senting bombs and flares or the like may be dropped from the location ofthe index upon the maneuver area to simulate actual bombing or othertactical procedures. This advantage stems from the fact that the indexrepresenting the model aircraft is fixed and any necessary equipment canbe mounted adjacent thereto without adding undue complication to thesystem.

While the instrument trainer of the invention is of general application,it is of particular advantage when used as a part of the training systemdisclosed in copending application Serial No. 548,487, filed August '7,1944, Training Systom, Otto H. Schmitt. In the training system of thiscopending application, a model aircraft and a model submarine areprovided and each is arranged to maneuver in respect to a model oceanarea in response to individual sets of controls. Means are provided forsimulating a detectable characteristic of the submarine and the modelaircraft is provided with simulated detection equipment.

In order that training in the use of detection equipment may be carriedout under realistic conditions, the pilot trainee is not allowed to Viewthe models but is given information as to the position of the aircraftmodel in respect to the ocean area by means of a servo-indicating systemwhich reproduces the motion of the model aircraft at a greatly reducedscale.

It will be recognized that the flight trainer of the invention mayconveniently be used as the servo-indicating system of the trainingsystem disclosed in the copending application, the controls for themodel aircraft of that system being arranged also to operate thetranslation system normally operated by controls 20 of the flighttrainer of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a training system, a permanently fixed trainees station, an indexrepresenting a model aircraft, a model maneuver area translatable withtwo coplanar directions perpendicular to each other and in respect tothe index, simulated aircraft controls at the trainees station forcausing motion of the maneuver area with respect to the index and forcorrespondingly changing the heading of the index to simulate the motionof the area as seen from an aircraft flying thereabove, and an opticalsystem permitting the trainee to sight the maneuver area from thelocation of the index, the direction of sight being determined by theheading of the aircraft introduced by the simulated controls.

2. In a training system, a stationary trainees station, an indexrepresenting an aircraft positioned remote from said station, said indexbeing fixed against linear motion, a model maneuver area horizontallytranslatable with respect to said index, simulated aircraft controls atsaid station for causing horizontal motion of said area and coplanarrotary motion of said index to simulate the motion of an area as seenfrom an aircraft flying thereabove, and an optical viewing systemincluding a rotary telescope to which the index is fixed permitting thetrainee to view said maneuver area from the location of said index, thedirection of sight being determined by the heading of the aircraftintroduced by said controls.

3. In a training apparatus, a model maneuver area translatable in asingle plane in mutually normal directions, an optical viewing systemfor observing said area, said system comprising a periscope including atelescope mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the planein which said area is translatable, means secured to said telescope atthe outer end thereof to direct vision in a predetermined singledirection toward said area, an index simulating an aircraft secured tosaid telescope for rotation therewith in order to shift the heading ofsaid aircraft with respect to said area in response to rotation of thetelescope, said aircraft being disposed between said means and saidarea, a stationary trainees station, and simulated aircraft controlslocated at said station for controlling the movement of said area andthe rotation of said telescope so that the direction of sight on saidarea is restricted to sight which is coincident with the heading of saidaircraft.

4. The training apparatus of claim 3 and said periscope also includingan optical erecting device operatively connected with said simulatedaircraft controls, a second telescope, and said optical erecting devicebeing in the vision line between the first-mentioned and said secondtelescope.

5. A training apparatus consisting of a model maneuver area translatablein a single plane, a stationary trainees station located remotely ofsaid area, a periscope including an eye piece at said station, a firsttelescope to which said eye piece is connected, a second telescopehaving its outer end arranged for vision of said area, an opticalerecting device interposed in the line of vision between saidtelescopes, said second telescope having at least a portion thereofrotatable about an axis perpendicular to said single plane and providedwith a light deflecting member which is spaced slightly from said area,an index simulating an aircraft and located between said member and saidarea, said aircraft simulating index being secured to the rotatableportion of said second telescope so that said index is rotated with saidsecond telescope in order to change the heading of said aircraft formingindex, said index and light deflecting member being fixed with respectto each other and movable only as a unit so that a definite visionrelationship between the index and deflected light from said area isalways maintained, and control 6 means at said station for displacingsaid area and for rotating said second telescope so that the traineesline of vision is maintained in coincidence with the heading of theaircraft simulating index.

OTTO H. SCHMITT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,271,296 Hargrave Jan. 27, 1942 2,298,305 Muller Oct. 13,1942 2,313,480 Reid Mar. 9, 1943 2,314,497 Hargrave Mar. 23, 19432,326,764 Crane Aug. 17, 1943 2,352,101 Hutter June 20, 1944 2,366,603Dehmel Jan. 2, 1945 2,385,095 McCarthy Sept. 18, 1945 2,385,291 LinkSept. 18, 1945 2,406,751 Emerson Sept. 3, 1946 2,442,297 Link May 25,1948 2,443,604 Dehmel June 22, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date548,093 Great Britain 1942

